Tag: @RandomTTours

REVIEW:

I have spent my entire life living on the edge of the South Downs National Park – whatever direction I leave my house from, it is not long before I can find myself surrounded by countryside, and being among trees always brings me a sense of peace. Living in a world without them is unthinkable to me, but in The Last Tree, Luke Adam Hawker raises the question of just how close we are to this becoming a reality, and I actually felt quite emotional reading this book.

Luke Adam Hawker’s drawings are delicate, and emotive, and the intricacy of the illustrations balances perfectly with the minimalist use of the words. Olive’s wonder at being among trees for the first time is captured beautifully, as is her love for her father.

The Last Tree is a book that can be read in minutes, but that you will want to look at for hours to absorb all the little details of each drawing. As with Hawker’s previous book, Together, The Last Tree is a book that I will revisit time and time again, and I am sure I will uncover a something previously unseen every time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Luke Adam Hawker worked as an architectural designer before becoming a full-time artist in 2015. He sells his signed and limited-edition prints to fans throughout the UK and the rest of the world. He has also been commissioned by brands such as the Soho House Hotel Group and has an artwork hanging in the Parliamentary Art collection. He has over 298k very engaged Instagram followers.
Luke’s first book, Together, was a Sunday Times bestseller. It has sold over 130,000 copies worldwide to date and has been translated into nine languages.
Luke lives with his wife, son and dog, Robin, in Surrey. England.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Don’t forget to visit the other blogs taking part in the tour.

Sensitive – Hannah Jane Walker

February 21, 2023 Mai Taylor

Have you ever been told that you just need to toughen up? If so, today’s book might be the one for you, as I join the blog tour for Sensitive by Hannah Jane Walker. Many thanks to Hannah and Octopus Books for providing me with a copy of the book and to Anne Cater at Random Things tours for inviting me to take part.

BLURB:

Hannah Jane Walker is a very sensitive person, along with at least a fifth of the population. Like many, she conditioned to believe this was a weakness and a trait she should try to overcome.

When she had her first child and realised that her little girl was sensitive too, Hannah decided to find out whether sensitivity might in fact be a positive trait. Her question led to some fascinating answers and ongoing research that suggests survival and thriving is not only limited to the fittest, but to the sensitive.

If you are someone, or know someone who sat on the edge of the party as a child, or waits to be sure about what you want to say only to never get a word in, or jumps at loud noises, or worries that you cry so easily at a beautiful piece of art, or that you just seem to feel so much (too much), this book reveals the strengths of these traits and also how we need to embrace them rather than be embarrassed by them.

People who are highly sensitive are highly caring, they are observant and notice new ways of doing things in difficult circumstances, they are able to follow their gut instincts (a real scientific thing), they bring teams together, they listen well and are fare more resilient than we’ve often been led to believe. The problem is that in today’s noisy world, they often suffer from lower self-esteem and confidence levels.

Like Susan Cain’s Quiet, which showed the power of introverts in an extrovert world, Sensitive overturns old cliches and stereotypes and suggests a new way of looking at a trait that people so often feel ashamed of but that has so much untapped potential.

PURCHASE LINKS:

REVIEW:

I have spent much of my life being told that I need to toughen up or be more resilient, so when I saw Hannah’s book, I knew that I wanted to read it. That said, I found that parts hit incredibly close to home, and certainly in the earlier chapters, I found it quite hard to read.

Throughout the book Hannah refers to the work of Elaine Aron. One of my personal reading goals for 2023 is to read a non-fiction/self-help book each month, and by total coincidence, it is one of Aron’s books that I have earmarked for this month – I haven’t started it yet, but having read Sensitive, I am keep to get started.

There is a lot of very detailed information in this book and I think it will take more than one reading to fully absorb everything. It has certainly given me a lot to think about, and I think will help me be perhaps a little kinder to myself than I often am. As I moved towards the end of the book, I felt reassured that actually my sensitive nature could be a positive thing, and not something to be overcome.

While I was not a massive fan of the style of including conversations that read like straight transcripts of the interviews Hannah carried out while writing this book, it is clear to see that this is a book written with passion and a lot of hope for the future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hannah Jane Walker is a poet, broadcaster and playwright from Essex. She is currently an artist in residence at Cambridge Biomedical Campus, collaborating with scientists on outdoor poetic visual art installations. With playwright Chris Thorpe she has written, performed and toured around the world The Oh Fuck Moment and I Wish I Was Lonely. Solo, she has made This Is Just To Say and Highly Sensitive. As a performance poet, she has gigged in theatres, bars, boats and festivals. Most recently, she has begun working in broadcasting with BBC Radio 4 and now with her own theatre poetry podcast Human Resources.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Website

Don’t forget to visit the other blogs taking part in the tour.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night – Amélie Wen Zhao

February 10, 2023 Mai Taylor

I am back with my favourite genre, fantasy, today as I join the blog tour for Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao today. Many thanks to Amélie and Harper Voyager for providing me with a copy of the book, and to Anne at Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

BLURB:

Once, Lan had a different name. Now, she goes by the one the Elantian colonisers gave her when they invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed her people’s magic. She spends her nights as a songgirl in Haak’gong, a city transformed by the conquerors, and spends her days scavenging for remnants of the past. For anything that might help her understand the strange marl burned into her arm by her mother, in her last act before she died.

No one can see the mysterious mark, an untranslatable Hin character, except Lan. Until the night a boy appears at the teahouse and saves her life.

Zen is a practitioner – one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdon, whose abilities were rumoured to be drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Magic to be hidden from the Elantians at all costs.

Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep with. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon US

REVIEW:

One of the reasons I love fantasy books so much is that they offer pure escapism from everyday life. A well-crafted fantasy novel makes the real world just melt away, and re-entering that world can sometimes be a bit of a jolt. This was certainly the case with Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, and actually I was pleased I finished it late one night, so that I could just go straight to sleep and delay my trip back to reality for a little longer.

The world building in this book is phenomenal with centuries of history, gods, Demons, and two distinct magic systems. I would love to see how Amélie achieved this without getting tied up in knots. Each chapter uncovers a new layer, carefully revealing all of this glorious detail as Lan learns more about the world around her.

Zen makes for an endearing hero, torn between loyalty to his school and protecting Lan, whilst keeping his own secrets hidden. I really enjoyed watching the relationship between these characters grow throughout the book – the way they interact with each other is just beautiful and took me through the entire spectrum of emotion.

To my shame, I know next to nothing about Chinese culture or the mythology and folklore of China, and I admit I was worried that I would feel like I was missing something while reading this book, but that was not the case at all, and in fact it has just left me wanting to learn more (and very much looking forward to the next instalment!).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amélie (yes, like the movie!) has adored putting pen to paper since she was in kindergarten. Born in Paris and raised in a multicultural community in Beijing, Amélie has bone-deep love for traveling and immersing herself in new worlds and cultures. She lives in New York City, working as a full-time financial professional by day, and writer at night.

She hopes to empower young readers with messages of acceptance, strength, and courage through her works, and to continue to push the boundaries of young adult literature by exploring new, cross-cultural themes.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Website

Don’t forget to visit the other blogs taking part in the tour for this magical book.

Clara & Olivia – Lucy Ashe

February 6, 2023February 3, 2023 Mai Taylor

If you enjoy historical fiction and are a fan of the ballet, then I have the perfect book for you as I join the blog tour for Clara & Olivia by Lucy Ashe. Many thanks to Lucy and Magpie Books for providing me with a copy of the book, and to Anne at Random Things Tours for inviting my to join the tour.

BLURB:

SADLER’S WELLS, LONDON 1933

I would kill to dance like her.

Sisters Olivia and Clara rehearse with Ninette de Valois at the recently opened Sadler’s Wells. Disciplined and dedicated, Olivia is the perfect ballerina. But no matter how hard she works, she can never match up to identical twin Clara’s charm.

I would kill to be with her.

As rehearsals intensify for the ballet Coppélia, the girls feel increasingly as if they are being watched. And as infatuation threatens to become obsession, the fragile perfection of their lives starts to unravel.

An exquisite goose-bumping debut from a former ballerina.

PURCHASE LINKS:

REVIEW:

I adore historical fiction and the ballet, so a novel set during the early years of the Vic-Wells company was always going to capture my attention. I particularly enjoy historical fiction where real people intermingle with the books characters, and in Clara and Olivia, Lucy Ashe seamlessly blends her fictional characters with the stars of the English ballet of the 1930s.

The beauty of the ballet is echoed in the wonderfully atmospheric writing, but the sense of foreboding that begins in the prologue lingers in the corner of the stage like a shadow. In fact, there is an unsettling feeling about the whole book, with the dark spaces of the theatre (not least the well) lending a gothic feel to the story. Something about the girls’ relationship feels dangerous, too close for comfort, as if they could destroy each other, in spite of loving each other dearly, and being prepared to fight to protect each other.

I love the ballet and whilst I usually read in silence, I found myself heading to Spotify to set Coppélia and Swan Lake to play in the background. I thoroughly recommend this, as the beautiful music really adds to the emotion and drama of the book.

Even before reading her author bio (see below), it was easy to see that Lucy Ashe has a great deal of experience with the ballet, and has poured her love for it into every word of Clara and Olivia. This book is an exquisite balance of beauty and tension, of emotion and drama, and it evoked the same feelings in me as if I had just sat through the most wonderful performance of my favourite ballet.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lucy Ashe trained at the Royal Ballet School for eight years, first as a Junior Associate and then at White Lodge. She has a diploma in dance teaching with the British Ballet Organisation. She decided to go to university to read English Literature at St Hugh’s College, Oxford (MA Oxon), while continuing to dance and perform. She then took a PGCE teaching qualification and became a teacher. She currently teaches English at Harrow School, an all-boys boarding school in North London. Her poetry and short stories have been published in a number of literary journals and she was shortlisted for the 2020 Impress Prize for New Writers. She also reviews theatre, in particular ballet, writing for the website Playtosee.com

LUCY WRITES:

“I have a great love of ballet and am fascinated by its history. I was lucky enough to meet many of the great dancers of the Royal Ballet, even Dame Ninette de Valois when she came to White Lodge to celebrate her 100th birthday. I have performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and learnt the repertoire for many of the classical ballets.

My novel is closely researched, re-creating the early years of the Vic-Wells company at Sadler’s Wells, and the story is immersed in ballet history featuring characters such as Ninette de Valois, Lydia Lopokova, Constant Lambert, Alicia Markova and Nicholas Sergeyev. Frederick and Dora Freed and their pointe shoe workshop play a key role, as does the history of Sadler’s Wells theatre itself. In a book shop on Cecil Court, I found beautifully preserved theatre programmes from the 1932-33 season at Sadler’s Wells and it was magical to imagine my characters holding those pages.

One major inspiration for me was my twin sister. We spent the first part of our lives doing everything together: first day of school, first ballet class, first piano lesson. We were a unit, referred to simply as the twins, and we had a very special connection. That connection remains even though our lives are so entirely different now. And so, in my novel, I have been inspired by the connectedness and the bond of twins, Olivia and Clara staying so close despite their lives starting to take them in different directions.”

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Make sure you pay a visit to the other blogs that are joining the tour for this fantastic book.

Different, Not Less – Chloe Hayden

January 16, 2023January 16, 2023 Mai Taylor

Today I am joining the blog tour for Different, Not Less by Chloe Hayden. Many thanks to Chloe and Murdoch Books for providing me with a copy of the book, and to Anne at Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

BLURB:

An empowering guide to celebrating and supporting neurodivergence from Netflix’s Heartbreak High star and disability advocate, Chloe Hayden.

Growing up, Chloe Hayden felt like she’d crash-landed on an alien planet where nothing made sense. Eye contact? Small talk? And why are you people so touch-oriented? None of it made sense.

Chloe desperately wished to be part of the fairytales she so dearly loved. A world in which the lead is considered a hero because of their differences, rather than excluded and pushed aside for them.

She moved between ten schools in eight years, struggling to become a person she believed society would accept. After years of being “weird, quirky Chloe,” she was eventually diagnosed with autism and ADHD. It was only after a life-changing group of allies showed her that different didn’t mean less that she learned to celebrate her true voice and find her happily ever after.

Different, Not Less is a moving, at times funny story of how it feels to be neurodivergent as well as a practical guide, with insights on how autism and ADHD present differently in females, advice for living with meltdowns and shutdowns, tips for finding supportive relationships, communities and workplaces, and much more.

Whether you’re neurodivergent or supporting those who are, Different, Not Less will inspire you to create a more inclusive world where everyone feels like they belong.

PURCHASE LINKS:

REVIEW:

Some of you will know that I suffer with a couple of chronic illnesses, and as much as I wish some of the people around me would do more to understand my health issues, I realise that I also have a lot to learn about how other people experience the world. When the opportunity to improve my understanding through joining the blog tour for Different, Not Less came about, I jumped at the chance. I know I still have a way to go, and I apologise if I word things incorrectly in this review. I would welcome any further education if I do.

While I could empathise with the sensory processing issues Chloe has faced, struggling with hypersensitivity myself, other areas were a real eye opener. The complete lack of support she received from the education system and medical professionals in the very recent past was shocking! I naively thought that, at least in these area, things had improved over the years. My heart bled for the little girl who wanted so much to find her place in the world, and was blocked from doing so at every turn, and simply written off as “weird.” I also had no idea that autism came with so many common comorbidities – as if life isn’t difficult enough when you don’t fit the accepted “normal” mould, you are hit with multiple health conditions to manage on top of everything else.

The passion with which this book was written shines through in the language used making it an easy book to read, not dry or a slog like some self-help/health books can be. Chloe’s openness about her experiences as a neurodivergent woman is brutally honest at times, but it is this honesty that a) will hopefully make other people in her situation feel less alone, and b) really drives home to neurotypical readers just how confusing and overwhelming life can be.

Whether you are neurodivergent yourself, supporting someone who is, or just want to understand more about other people’s experiences, Different, Not Less is a great place to start.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chloe Hayden is an award-winning actor and disability advocate, motivational speaker and social media influencer whose story of being “different, not less” has attracted a worldwide following. She is currently appearing in Heartbreak High, the Netflix remake of the iconic Australian series.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

TikTok

Don’t forget to have a look at the other blogs taking part in the tour for Different, Not Less.

The Witch & The Tsar – Olesya Salnikova Gilmore

December 22, 2022 Mai Taylor

Well, 2022 is certainly going out with a bang – my final blog tour this year features one of the best books I have read this year, the wonderfully wintery The Witch & The Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore. Many thanks to Olesya and to Harper Voyager for providing me with a copy of the book, and to Anne at Random Things Tours for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour.

BLURB:

As a half-goddess possessing magic, Yaga is used to living on her own, her prior entanglements with mortals having led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumours about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. But when her old friend Anastasia – now the wife of the tsar and suffering from a mysterious illness – arrives in her forest desperate for her protection, Yaga realises that the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves.

As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan – soon to become Ivan the Terrible – grows more volatile and tyrranical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine.

In this stunning debut novel, the maligned and immortal witch of legend known as Baba Yaga will risk all to save her country and people from Tsar Ivan the Terrible – and the dangerous gods who seek to drive the twisted hearts of men.

PURCHASE LINKS:

REVIEW:

Wow! I thought I was almost set on my favourite books of 2022, but this one has certainly put a spanner in the works. From the cover to the very last page, The Witch and The Tsar is an utterly beautiful book, exquisitely written and absolutely captivating. I studied Russian history at A-level many years ago, and this book brought the rich culture, landscape and folklore of the country to life in a way my teacher could only have dreamed off.

Part historical fiction, part reimagining of Russian folklore, The Witch and The Tsar weaves together the facts of Ivan IV’s reign of terror with the traditional tales of Baba Yaga and Koshey Bessmertny, giving a twist to their stories and offering a new explanation for Ivan’s behaviour. I was not hugely familiar with Russian folklore prior to reading this book, but it has left me wanting to know more and I will certainly be looking for more about Yaga and Koshey.

Olesya Salnikova Gilmore’s characters are simply wonderful, and I felt an emotional attachment to each and every one of them. She even managed to make Ivan the Terrible seem somewhat relatable! Even the worst, most evil of the characters had motivations that were understandable, whilst their actions remained awful. It is no mean feat to make a reader feel sorry for the antagonist, but Olesya succeeds in this beautifully.

It is hard to believe that The Witch and The Tsar is the debut novel from Olesya Salnikova Gilmore. I think we can expect great things in the future, and personally, I can’t wait!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Olesya Salnikova Gilmore was born in Moscow, Russia, and raised in the United States, and graduated from Pepperdine University with a BA in English/political science, and from Northwestern University School of Law with a JD. She practised litigation at a large law firm for several years before pursuing her dream of becoming an author. She is happiest writing historical fiction and fantasy inspired by Eastern European folklore. She lives in a wooded lakeside suburb of Chicago with her husband and daughter. The Witch and the Tsar is her debut novel.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Make sure you check out the other blogs taking part in the tour.

The Complete Fairy Stories of Oscar Wilde

December 6, 2022December 5, 2022 Mai Taylor

If you are still doing your Christmas shopping, I have the perfect book for readers of all ages to share with you as I join the blog tour for The Complete Fairy Stories of Oscar Wilde. Many thanks to Duckworth for providing me with a copy of the book, and Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me to be a part of the tour.

BLURB:

For nearly 150 years, the classic fairy tales of Oscar Wilde have been cherished by readers of all ages. Rediscover all nine of the stories first published in The Happy Prince and Other Stories (1888) and A House of Pomegranates (1891) in this beautiful new edition of Duckworth’s exquisite 1952 complete collection, featuring intricate illustrations by the celebrated twentieth-century artist and aesthete Phillippe Julian, and an afterword by Wilde’s son Vyvyan Holland.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Waterstones

REVIEW:

Although I have read and enjoyed a few of Oscar Wilde’s works previously, this was my first encounter with his collections of fairy stories. Whilst not as dark as some of the tales of Charles Perrault, these fairy tales are still a long way from the sanitised, happily ever afters that I grew up with, and in fact, some of them are desperately sad. Of the stories included in this collection, The Selfish Giant and The Birthday of the Infanta were favourites of mine, although The Birthday of the Infanta made me feel particularly emotional. That said, Wilde delights in poking fun at those who think too highly of themselves, and so with the sadness came plenty of smiles.

While I was reading this book, I found I had to check if there was an audio version available, because I could hear Stephen Fry’s voice in my head telling the stories as clearly as if he had been sitting in the room beside me. If there are plans for an audiobook, he really is the only possible choice for the narrator.

Philippe Jullian’s striking illustrations are the perfect addition to Wilde’s parables, and the afterword by Vyvvan Holland provides a fascinating insight into Wilde’s mind and creative processes.

This 70th anniversary edition is a delightful book, and one that I think any book lover would be happy to have on their shelf.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born in Dublin in 1854, Oscar Wilde was an Irish wit, playwright and poet best remembered for his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), and his social comedies including The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). He published two volumes of beloved fairy tales. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1884 he married Constance Lloyd, and his two sons were born in 1885 and 1886. Wilde died in Paris in 1900.

Don’t forget to visit the other blogs taking part in the tour.

The Widdershins Series – Helen Steadman

October 25, 2022October 25, 2022 Mai Taylor

I have a double bill of reviews today as I jump on board the blog tour for Widdershins and Sunwise, (the Widdershins series) by Helen Steadman. Many thanks to Helen for providing me with copies of both books (and the lovely goodies that came with them!), and to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me to be a part of the tour.

BLURB:

Jane Chandler is learning the art of healing while John Sharpe wants to rid the world of witchcraft. In an English town gripped by superstition and fear, two destinies collide in these absorbing historical novels based on true events.

WIDDERSHINS

“Did all women have something of the witch about them?”

England, 1649. A sadistic witch hunter. An apprentice healer accused of witchcraft. Can she escape the hangman’s noose?

When John’s parents die at the hands of a witch, he faces a choice: an easy life with a woman who serves Satan, or a hard life with a preacher who serves God. The cursed orphan chooses the church. Raised on raging sermons, he discovers his true purpose: to become a witchfinder and save virtuous souls from the jaws of hell.

In a town mesmerized by superstition and fear, two destinies collide. As John rounds up the local witches, Jane gets more than she bargained for when bartering with the apothecary. Instead of trading herbal remedies, she finds herself on trial for consorting with the devil. Can she prove her innocence, or will she be condemned to death?

SUNWISE

“There is a madness come upon England of late.”

England, 1650. A sadistic witch hunter. An innocent healer and her child accused of witchcraft. Can they escape the hangman’s noose?

Filled with vengeance, John will stop at nothing in his sworn mission to free the world from the scourge of witchcraft. When his quest to vanquish evil is thwarted by Jane, he decrees that she must die.

After defeating the witchfinder, Jane must continue her dangerous healing work. Alone in a hostile and superstitious village, she struggles to keep her little girl alive.

Determined to keep his vow, the witchfinder must put mother and daughter to death. When John brings the witch hunt to Jane’s home, can she herself and her child from certain slaughter?

PURCHASE LINKS:

Widdershins

Sunwise

REVIEW:

The books of the Widdershins series make the perfect duology, with book one, Widdershins, following Jane and John from childhood to their early adult lives and Sunwise picking up the story after their first encounter in Newcastle. I found both books utterly engrossing, and as such sped through them, all the while wishing I could make them last longer and really savour them. Of course, I failed completely to do that, and actually read Sunwise from cover to cover in one sitting.

John was a character who sook me by surprise, and I enjoyed the chapters from his perspective more than I expected. I had thought that I would hate him but instead I was a presented with fascinating insight into what could change someone from sweet, kind boy to a fanatical witch hunter. I bounced from raging at his actions against innocent women and actually pitying him for the damage his early life experiences had done to him. He is a complicated man indeed!

In contrast, Jane is a much gentler character who just wants to live a quiet life with those she loves. Her story and everything that she goes through absolutely broke my heart, not least because for many women of the time, Jane’s experiences were very real dangers that they faced.

The Widdershins series is not a cheerful read, and is in fact quite harrowing in places, but it is clear to see that the author poured her heart and soul into researching the witch trials of Newcastle and Berwick and bringing them to life. I have something of a fascination with this topic, and I have to say that Widdershins and Sunwise are right up there with the best of the books that I have read about the trials.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr Helen Steadman is a historical novelist. Her first novel, Widdershins, and its sequel, Sunwise, were inspired by the seventeenth-century Newcastle witch trials. Her third novel, The Running Wolf, was inspired by the Shotley Bridge swordmakers, who defected from Solingen, Germany in 1687. Helen’s fourth novel is God of Fire, a Greek myth retelling about Hephaestus, possibly the least well-known of the Olympians. Helen is now working on her fifth novel.

Despite the Newcastle witch trials being one of the largest mass executions of witches on a single day in England, they are not widely known about. Helen is particularly interested in revealing hidden histories and she is a thorough researcher who goes to great lengths in pursuit of historical accuracy. To get under the skin of the cunning women in Widdershins and Sunwise, Helen trained in herbalism and learned how to identify, grow and harvest plants and then made herbal medicines from bark, seeds, flowers and berries.

The Running Wolf is the story of a group of master swordmakers who defected from Solingen, Germany and moved to Shotley Bridge, England in 1687. As well as carrying out in-depth archive research and visiting forges in Solingen to bring her story to life, Helen also undertook blacksmith training, which culminated in making her own sword. During her archive research, Helen uncovered a lot of new material and she published her findings in the Northern History journal.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Don’t forget to visit the other blogs taking part on this tour.

We Are All Constellations – Amy Beashel

October 14, 2022October 13, 2022 Mai Taylor

I am honoured to be welcoming Amy Beashel to my blog today, as I join the blog tour for We Are All Constellations. Many thanks to Amy for providing me with a copy of the book, and to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to be a part of the tour.

BLURB:

You are strong. You are brave. You are not alone.

Seventeen-year-old Iris is happy. She might not have her mother but she refuses to let her past determine who she is. Then Iris finds out the truth about her mum’s death.

As her childhood memories prove uncertain, not even her friends or her new love interest Orla can help her make sense of them. Reeling from the discovery, Iris is forced to question everything she knows about her friends, her family and herself. But can she find a new future now her eyes are open to the past?

PURCHASE LINKS:

Waterstones

REVIEW:

As a regular reader of YA, I am used to the emotional turmoil that a lot of books put you through, but every now and again a book comes along that takes you completely by surprise. I finished reading We Are All Constellations on Wednesday, and I am still struggling to put into words everything that I want to say about it.

To be totally honest, I struggled with this book to begin with and didn’t find Iris to be a terribly likable character. However, a few chapters in, something clicked and it became this beautiful, utterly devastating story. I was an emotional wreck by the end, and even now a couple of days after finishing reading, it remains in my thoughts.

There is a lot going on in this book, with mental illness, grief, sexuality and male privilege being just some of the areas covered. Each of these is handled sensitively and in no way are they included purely for shock value or to tick a box. The characters are flawed, but this only serves to make each of them more relatable, and there are some beautiful moments where you would perhaps least expect them.

Amy Beashel is clearly a talented writer, and I know I will be reading her debut, The Sky is Mine, and everything else that she writes in the future – once I have had a lie down in a dark room and stocked up on chocolate and tissues that is!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amy Beashel lives in Shropshire with her husband and two kids. Her debut novel, The Sky is Mine, was nominated for a CILIP Carnegie Medal 2021, longlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2021 and shortlisted for the Bristol Teen Book Award 2020. Incidentally, she is also the fastest woman in the world on a space hopper.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Don’t forget to visit the other blogs taking part in this tour.